Why plan an Interrail trip in advance?

An Interrail pass enables you to go from wonderful city to wonderful city, travelling by train through beautiful European landscapes. But as amazing as that is, it does require a lot of research and it really helps to plan your trip in advance. Here are the three main reasons we recommend doing so.

To agree on a route beforehand

If you're going Interrailing, you're probably going as part of a group. This means there are lots of opinions to consider and that there'll be some debate over where's best to go. It will make your trip much more enjoyable if you can settle these debates and make compromises before you go, rather than arguing about the next destination during the trip. You can also ensure that your route makes the most of your chosen Interrail pass in terms of the number of travel days.

To make the necessary train reservations

Often, you have to make seat reservations in addition to your Interrail pass, otherwise you might not be allowed on the train. If you take the time to figure out which journeys require reservations, you can make those reservations up to 3 months in advance and guarantee yourself a seat on the train. This is especially important if travelling in the busy summer months: if you don't make the reservations, you might find that the trains are fully booked and you can't go where you want to go.

To book the best accommodation

If you've planned where you're going to be when, you can book your accommodation in advance. This allows you to compare all the options and find the best hostels - whether that's in terms of price, location, or social aspects. Plus, it will make your life easier if you know where you're staying, rather than having to find somewhere with enough free beds at the last-minute, which is especially difficult in the summer.

To summarise, planning your trip in advance will enable everyone to have the most enjoyable experience possible, whilst minimising stress during the actual trip!

After enjoying the sun, the charming South European atmosphere, and a daily temperature of 30-34 degrees Celsius for about two weeks, we needed a climate change. We got up early and walked to Verona train...